The WikiLeaks News & Views Blog for Wednesday, Day 172

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May 18, 2011

As I’ve done for nearly six months, I’m updating news and views on all things WikiLeaks and Bradley Manning all day, with new items added at the top. All times ET. Contact me at epic1934@aol.com. Read about my books The Age of WikiLeaksin print or as an e-book, and Bradley Manning: Truth and Consequences as e-book here and print here.

5:55 In wake of sex abuse case involving IMF chief in New York, Reuters review WikiLeaks cables and finds multiple cases of foreign diplomats getting charged with such crimes — usually involving maids or nannies — and getting away with it due to obstacles or immunity, despite lawsuits.

3:00 From @WLLegal: "DOJ insists it can censor book w/ classified info, even though uncensored copies have been in circulation for months."

2:05Frontline special on PBS on Manning and Assange next week coincides with first anniversary of Manning’s alleged online "chats" with Adrian Lamo.

12:55 Bill Keller, arch Assange critic, also finds much to hate and fear in…Twitter and Facebook. Maybe Judy Miller informed him that they harbor WMD — words of mass destruction?

9:25 Daniel Ellsberg joins the "I Am Bradley Manning" campaign (we have featured link and video this week) with this photo. His sign reads, however, "I WAS Bradley Manning," and his caption below: "I was the Bradley Manning of my day. In 1971 I too faced life (115 years) in prison for exposing classified government lies and crimes. President Obama says ‘the Ellsberg material was classified on a different basis.’ True. The Pentagon Papers were not Secret like the Wikileaks revelations, they were all marked Top Secret—Sensitive.

"Ultimately all charges in my case were dropped because of criminal governmental misconduct toward me during my proceedings. Exactly the same outcome should occur now, in light of the criminal conditions of Manning’s confinement for the last six months."

8:55 More on ex-Anonymous "spokesman" (or whatever) Barrett Brown and latest plans. Question of "Is he the next (or the real) Julian Assange" seems a bit premature.

PBS has now posted a lengthy press release — really, it seems a full summary and excerpts — from next Tuesday’s full Frontline hour on WikiLeaks, Manning and Assange. Based on its briefer segment on Manning a few weeks back, it’s not a surprise to see that next week’s show is likely to be harshly critical of Assange.

It appears that it gives wide credence to views that Assange had direct contact with Manning — something the DOJ has apparently had trouble proving — that it’s possible WikiLeaks reached out to Manning and not the other way around, and that there may have been an "intermediary." It quotes Kim Zetter of Wired revealing that Assange had contacted her about getting copies of the "chat logs," although this seems to be a no-brainer on his part. And it gives full attention to charges that Assange did not want to redact the Afghan war logs (he has not exactly denied it) — and re-cycles and quotes David Leigh’s dynamite charge that Assange did not care about redactions because, as he allegedly told Leigh, they "deserve to die." Assange has threatened to sue over this "false" remark (while not yet suing so) and will likely go ballistic when Leigh is quoted saying it again on Frontline.

The show also promises the first footage of Manning shot about the time he was allegedly leaking.

Swell to see a news outlet in Los Angeles has identified 5 most important revelations in international cables re: L.A. There’s info relating to 9/11, to Scientology, to Bulgaria. And the site? The leading information source on all things…. taco.

Well, we can always use a good WikiLeaks joke (not related ti wizzing in some form). Here from Huff Post blogger: "Thanks to my friend, Farid, for sending this joke: Wikileaks released the following taped conversation between President Obama and Pakistan’s President Zardari, who is well known for taking kickbacks. President Obama: "Mr. President, I am going to make the announcement of Osama bin Laden’s death to the world. Would you like to take any credit for this operation" President Zardari: "No, sir. No credit. I take cash only."

Classic: Reason magazine hails replacement for "bleeding heart" PJ Crowley at State Department — she used to work for Dick Cheney.

Greg MitchellTwitter Greg Mitchell writes a daily blog for The Nation focusing on media, politics and culture. He is the former editor of Editor & Publisher and author of thirteen books. His latest book, on the 2012 Obama-Romney race, is Tricks, Lies, and Videotape. His other books include Atomic Cover-Up, The Campaign of the Century (winner of the Goldsmith Book Prize), two books related to WikiLeaks and a pair of books with Robert Jay Lifton on Hiroshima and the death penalty in America. His Twitter feed is @GregMitch and he can be reached at: epic1934@aol.com. His personal blog is Pressing Issues.